The first sitting of the Consultative Forum for the New Year on Tuesday raised several issues that Turks and Caicos Islanders are viewing with interest.
Leader of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) Douglas Parnell requested an extension of the time for residents to submit suggestions to constitutional reform specialist Kate Sullivan. Sullivan had set a deadline of January 14 but Parnell asked that this be set back to January 31.
It was learned that, late on Tuesday, Governor Gordon Wetherell approved Parnell’s request.
This will give Sullivan additional time, not only to obtain suggestions from individuals, but also to review the report submitted by the All Party Constitutional reform group. It was Parnell who also called for the formation of this committee.
The All Party group is headed by Attorney Wendell Swan, who also appeared before the United Nations Committee on Decolonization. This All Party group conducted meetings around the islands seeking suggestions from all interested parties. The All Party Group suggestions include a process for recall of any parliamentarian.
This recall provision, which was not part of the 2006 Constitution, could have served as the mechanism for removal of Michael Misick as premier. Late in the term of the last internal government, Misick refused to resign and, when a motion of no confidence was proposed by the three-member PDM opposition, it was.
However it appeared the motion had wide support among the majority of members of the then ruling Progressive National Party (PNP) and during a party caucus Misick was forced to resign, with Galmo Williams taking over the party leadership and premiership until the report from the Commission of Inquiry and a Order in Council resulted in direct rule being imposed by Britain.
Sullivan, who was appointed by the British Labour government prior to the May 2010 general election in the UK, conducted two series of meetings.
In the first series, many reported her as aloof and dictatorial. However, after the change of government in Britain, Sullivan was reported to be much more open to input by islanders. In fact, her second set of recommended changes, which she authored post election, incorporated several key changes islanders insisted upon. One was the arbitrary expansion of the voting franchise in favour of a path to citizenship in a process similar to the larger democracies (the USA requires a minimum of five years of productive residency).
Sullivan’s second series of meetings in Grand Turk, North and Middle Caicos were viewed by islanders as consultative and constructive. However, in the most populated island of Providenciales (Provo) she was forced to close the meeting early due to loud demonstrations and the burning of her recommendations in the parking lot.
On a second occasion she was also met by angry protesters at the Provo Airport. Most of the protesters were identified as PNP activists. Clayton Greene himself told the country on television this week that he was part of the crowd at the airport confronting Sullivan
An anticipated third round of meetings was cancelled by Sullivan when she established the January 14 write-in deadline.
Appearing at the Tuesday Forum meeting was Carlos Simons, who previously chaired the Forum and who resigned to seek the leadership of the PNP. Simons is viewed as a reformer but was only able to obtain one third of the needed leadership support at the PNP’s August convention. At Tuesday’s Forum meeting he promised to propose a set of recommendations of his own. These, he said, may or may not be approved by the PNP.
Also appearing from the PNP was former chief minister and now national chairman, Norman Saunders. Saunders told the Forum that his view of Sullivan’s recommendations were that she would frame a TCI constitution which is based on the premise that TC Islanders are criminals.
Saunders son, EJ Saunders, choose not to attend the forum meeting, claiming prior commitments.
Saunders did issue a statement read on Radio Turks and Caicos, which was not directly related to the constitutional reform process or Tuesday Forum meeting.
Missing at Tuesday’s meeting were invitees Galmo Williams and Clayton Greene, the current leader of the PNP.
Greene sent a letter to the Forum saying he would not attend because he did not agree with the suspension of the constitution. Therefore, he does not recognise the Consultative Forum, which includes Turks and Caicos Islanders.
Another former chief minister, Derek Taylor, told the Forum that it was his belief that the suspension of the 2006 Constitution was caused not by constitutional weakness but by human misdeeds and therefore this is what must be guarded against in selection of future leaders.
Parnell said that it was important to get the constitutional changes right because the suspension and changes to a constitution are a difficult process.
The PDM leader said, In order to get it right, the process must include time for debate or some form of referendum as there are varying points of view.
On the issue of political campaigns, Parnell spoke to the high cost of mounting an election campaign. He did however ask for restrictions on contributions from any foreign non-belonger entities.
Parnell also said all contributions must be available for review by the Integrity Commission.
